


In the Night

by marimoes



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Dressrosa spoilers, Gen, just a little
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-31
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-04-05 02:55:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19039732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marimoes/pseuds/marimoes
Summary: He’s cleaning Kikoku when it happens. It’s mindless. Unintentional.“Oi, Torao, what’s that song?”





	In the Night

It’s cold, Cora knows this, as the town they arrived in last night is far more north than they’ve been. But it’s not so cold, not _so_ cold that Law should be shaking the way he is beneath his coat. He pulls his arms tighter around the small boy in his lap trying to cover him the best he can.

He hates having to do this. Law hates doing this. These are absolutes.

Another is that if they don’t find help, Law will die before the year’s end.

Cora can’t let that happen. They’ve gotten so far, risked so much in order to get Law better. He’s going to be something one day. Something that Cora couldn’t.

“Cora-san,” a small voice sighs and Cora looks down, his eyes softening as they meet Law’s, “Where are we again?”

Cora loves how soft Law is in the mornings. Before he completely wakes up and turns into the small demon that doesn’t want to listen. That instead he’s this little thing. Eyes like crystallized honey that reflect what Cora suspects is much like Law’s heart.

“I’m not sure,” Cora replies looking up out across the hill, “We can find out when we go down there.”

Law grumbles, tossing in Cora’s lap like a cat trying to get comfortable, and Cora doesn’t move. Simply lets him readjust, hoping he’ll stay close just a little longer.

“I don’t wanna go down there. I don’t wanna get yelled at again.” Law grumbles and Cora can hear the waver in his voice.

“But-”

“Cora-San....” Law interrupts Cora’s almost rehearsed reply, “Can’t we just rest? I’m so tired.”

Cora purses his lips, hands pulling Law closer to him, and the young boy twists his hands nervously into his shirt awaiting an answer. He sighs out an acceptance and Law must hear it for Cora feels the tension leave his frame.

He watches as Law’s eyes flutter shut once more, the gold again tucking away, and resists moving to stroke his hair.

Instead, a hum finds its way in the back of his throat. A memory haunting the corner of his mind as the words push through his lips. Breath creating small billows of clouds into the cold air.

It remains. Just as if it never left.

\---

_Breeze blowing through his hair, pushing his bangs across his forehead as it carries the fragrant scent of the garden in. Mama’s arms wrapped around him as she rocks him in the chair that has sat in the corner of his room for his entire life._

_Her voice is sweet as she sings. Like the strawberries that Father orders for his birthday every year. It’s a simple melody, nothing compared to the others that he hears the other children sing._

_It’s a song of her own and Rosi loves it._

_“Rosinante,” Mama sighs and squeezes tighter on his arms, “Sing with me this time?”_

_He settles in as she holds the first note, waiting for him to join. His small voice is laced with a smile as he sings along with her. Mouth gently shaping around the words he’s heard so many times before._

_“You’re out of tune.” Doffy murmurs and Rosi’s eyes sweep to find his brother standing in the doorway, “What a stupid song.”_

_“Doffy don’t say that! It’s Mama’s.” Rosi huffs, fingers tightening, “It’s beautiful.”_

_“It’s different.”_

_“That doesn’t mean it’s stupid.”_

_“Boys.” Mama chides lifting a hand out toward Doffy and he moves forward as if he’s pulled by an invisible thread, “Don’t argue.”_

_Doffy pulls upward into the chair as Rosi shifts onto a single leg. There they sit, both wrapped with in the arms of their mother. She holds them tightly, placing a kiss on each of their heads, and Rosi notes how it’s the only time Doffy doesn’t flinch from affection._

_“Why shouldn’t you fight?” Mama asks, her voice lifting at the end of the rehearsed question._

_“Because in the end,” Rosi whispers, his gaze turning to look at his brother._

_He finds only his own reflection. Doffy’s eyes are hidden like usual behind his darkened lenses. Because of them reading his expression is hard. But now, looking at him in their mother’s arms, he seems softer. More serious when he finishes the phrase._

_“We only have each other.”_

\---

 

Cry fading in like a siren, Law wails. The sound bringing a new wave of grief over him as the reality settles in. Lips trembling around each sob as cold pierces him to the bone. Law’s hands shake violently as his mind races just as quickly.

_He’s dead._

Doflamingo killed Cora-san. He’s back there, somewhere in the snow, and Law wants nothing more than to go back to him. To try to use this newly acquired powers to heal him.

He knows, though. Knows that the fruit doesn’t work like that. He hiccups harder into his sleeve praying that the rest of the family doesn’t find him.

_The family._

They’re not his family anymore. Cora-san was his family. The closest thing he had ever found apart from his own, and he’s gone. All to help him.

Voices start to carry across the field and Law tenses at the noise. He has to go faster. He has to hide.

Tucking away behind the nearest boulder, Law curls up into himself. The wind blows hard against him cutting straight through him and he knows he can’t stay here long.

Yelling. Laughing. Screaming. It’s all too much noise. He wants it to stop. He wants Cora-san.

Dipping his head beneath his coat, Law breathes heavily into his chest as he tries to close out the outside world. What he wouldn’t do to be curled up within Cora-san’s at the moment.

To feel the warm tickle of the feathers against his face. To hear Cora-san hum the lullaby he loved so much. To ask him about the words that were in a language Law could never decipher.

The melody finds itself in the back of his mind as the yelling gets louder behind him. Anything to protect himself. Just something to make things alright.

The first note comes out as a whine and Law bites his lip as to not cry out again. Breathing a deeper breath, the cold bites at his lungs and he coughs trying to rid his body of much more than that.

His face is flushed. From tears and sweat alike that roll off his skin. Pulling his hands to him, he stares. Blinking slowly at them as if they’re going to just turn on like Cora-san’s.

A sensation pricks at them, like fingers gracing his palms lightly. He flexes them outward, moving them like he watched Cora-san do so many times before. There before him becomes a faint blue glow.

It encompasses him like a blanket, the weight eerily familiar on his weak body, and his eyes fill once more when he realizes it. Shuffling of boxes and yells are still loud behind him and Law sighs wishing this power were similar to Cora-san’s in that effect.

As the room holds over him Law begins to notice more. He hears his heartbeat clearer. The rush of his blood heavy as it’s laced with lead. Tremors of his muscles as they fight the cold.

It’s not like Cora-san’s at all.

Law clenches his hands shut in pain. Overstimulated by it all: the sound, the exhaustion, the grief. The blue now just a trace amongst his hands.

He pulls them into his chest, rocking lightly to keep warm as he hears the voices fade. Chest still tight he begs it for a full breath, but knows he’ll only cough again and could give himself away. So, instead he hums.

He forgets the beginning at first. Where it goes up, he tries to go down, and for a moment he’s afraid he never learned it right at all. That he’ll never hear it right again. A sob building in his throat is captured and swallowed back down out of will.

Breathing in a shaky breath, he thinks for a moment, and starts again.

\---

He’s cleaning Kikoku when it happens. It’s mindless. Unintentional.

“Oi, Torao, what’s that song?”

Law looks up from his work with confusion heavy in his head. Exhaustion long since a burden on him from Punk Hazard, he furrows his brow. Luffy is crouched in front of him, hand on his hat as he tilts his head in curiosity.

“What are you rambling about now, Mugiwara-ya?” Law sighs as he sheaths Kikoku, settling it against the wall behind him.

Luffy moves forward then, slumping against the wall next to him. He looks up at Law with eyes he’s never seen before. Law has seen Luffy many ways, but never this gentle curiosity.

“The song, from just now. I’ve never heard it before.”

Law blinks slowly as he takes in his words again. A song? He wasn’t singing.

“Come on, Torao. Is it a secret or something? It went like-” Luffy huffs before trying to hum the melody himself.

Luffy gets three notes in before Law’s brain catches up. His hand reaches out on it’s on, holding hard against Luffy’s mouth as his fingers curl into his cheek. Luffy stops humming, his eyes now wide.

“Don’t.” Law simply says, retrieving his hand, “Mugiwara-ya, don’t hum that.”

Luffy’s eyes soften at his words, a small nod given. He expected something else. For Luffy to demand the source, to try again, but there Luffy sits. His normal smile returning as he leans against Law.

Law envies Luffy at moments like this. His ability to process things and let go when needed. To not hold on to unnecessary issues. So, when it comes to what they’re about to go into, Law knows one thing for certain.

He’s glad to be going with Luffy.

\---

Doffy sits, legs crossed leaned back against the chair. So casual upon this roof as Law and Luffy stand before him. Smirk laid across his face as Trebol hovers behind him.

A gleam slides across his glasses and it hits Law.

It’s heavy. The spite of thirteen years hanging in his chest as he looks into the red lenses before him. Pain settled in his body from the previous fights of the day. All of it culminating to the vibration in his throat.

The first few words come out quiet. Law’s mouth wrapping around the foreign language that he has not dared to speak for years.

Instinct now drives him as the melody continues out. Law’s tone is low and dark as his nodachi is drawn from its sheath; eyes locked on Doflamingo as he finishes the first phrase.

Quick nausea finds its way into Doflamingo’s gut as he hears the song. Head hazy as he processes the words in his native tongue. Words that haven’t graced his ears in almost three decades.

His memory floods with that instance.

_Rosi curling up to him as their father sits with their recently passed mother. They sit shaking against each other unable to process what just happened. Mama._

_She’s gone._

_Rosi hiccups out a sob as his fingers curl tighter against Doffy’s shirt. For a moment he feels the compulsion to push him away. To tell his younger brother to toughen up. That the world is cruel, and this is their life now._

_But he doesn’t._

_Instead, he opens his mouth and the words fall out. They’re flat and toneless, devoid of any emotion. Rosi’s chest flutters as the sob is caught in his throat._

_He swallows it as Doffy continues to speak the first phrase._

_“Rosi,” Doffy whispers as he gazes ahead into nothing, “Sing with me.”_

_“Doffy, it’s dangerous to speak like that here.”_

_“Rosi, remember what Mama always said? Sing.” Doffy commands as his hand reaches around to hold weakly onto Rosi’s shirt._

_Rosi breaths in a weak breath as he starts to sing the second phrase in their tongue, “F-face and eyes are heavy a-as you lose the wor-ds to say.”_

“ _Every day, you’ll wake anew_ ,” Law sings, walking slowly toward Doflamingo as he sits still frozen on his throne.

The past and present blending, Doflamingo’s head swims. Rosi crying close to him as they sit there waiting on their wretched father. Law’s lips speaking their language. _Theirs._

“Ne, Doffy! Doffy, move!” Trebol, yells from behind him as Law pulls closer.

His eyes are darkened by the past. Full of the pain and resentment Doflamingo always wanted to fuel Law with. But this isn’t what he expected.

Nothing could have prepared him for this.

“ _Why do you know that song_?” Doflamingo yells in his language, voice breaking on the last word, “ _Why would he teach you? That’s not yours_ -”

“ _Every day, I fall for you_.” Law continues, steps deliberate as he moves forward. He doesn’t understand the words he’s singing, but it doesn’t matter.

Doflamingo does.

“ _Stop singing!_ ” Doflamingo commands as he lifts his hand, “Black Knight!”

Conjuring the double, Law positions his nodachi forward prepared to strike. A smile pulls across his face as he takes a final look at Doflamingo’s face. Doflamingo’s chest tightens further as he takes in Law’s expression. His smile is wide.

Wide like someone else’s they used to know.

“ _So, in the night I hold you close to me_.”

\---

Night falls over the ship as the Barto Club settles in for the night. Everyone is full from the celebration, tired from the day’s events, and excited of the grand fleet’s prospects. It should be perfect.

Should be.

“Oi, Torao! Did you get enough?” Luffy asks smacking a hand against his stomach, “They sure know how to cook here, it’s not Sanji’s though.”

Law looks up beyond the rim of his hat to find Luffy’s ever smiling face in front of him. He nods shortly before leaning back to rest against the wall. He only ate a little before nausea overcame him. It’ll be awhile before he’s up to speed again.

That and he really does miss Shachi’s onigiri.

“What was that, earlier, it sounded like that one song? I know I’m not supposed to sing it or anything but, that was a language I don’t know.” Luffy says slipping down the wall next to Law, “It made Mingo so mad. What were you saying?”

Law sighs. He knew Luffy would ask. Feeling his eyes on him as he had started to sing earlier. He wasn’t thinking in the moment after all.

Law didn’t think he would make it out of that fight alive.

“It’s a lullaby, I believe.” Law replies turning to look at Luffy, “I don’t know where it came from, but Cora-san used to sing it to me when we travelled. I learned it that way.”

Luffy nods quietly in understanding before a soft smile pulls at the corners of his lips. He leans forward resting his head onto his knees as his eyes focus out onto the sea. Law watches as he settles and feels a small knot in his throat.

“Hey, Torao?” Luffy asks, his voice airy and soft, “If you don’t mind. Could you sing it again?”

Heat pulls across Law’s neck at the request, “Mugiwara-ya, I’m not-”

“It’s ok, I understand. It’s just such a pretty song.” Luffy sighs, “Reminds me of something like Ace would hum when we were young.”

Law groans softly before leaning up to mirror Luffy. He clears his throat and can feel Luffy begin to vibrate next to him. His tongue feels heavy as he opens his mouth to sing, and before he can breathe out the first word, he feels Luffy’s hand on his shoulder.

“You don’t have to sing it.” Luffy smiles, “Honest.”

Law wants to shrug off the hand, to agree with Luffy and just leave it at that. But something pulls at him. The faint smell of smoke and the warmth of Luffy’s hand stirring something inside of him.

He wants it to be different. Wants to give it back to whoever it came from and take it from the darkness of Doflamingo’s control. Cora-san would want that.

Law’s eyes soften then, and Luffy can see it, just as he takes in a breath.

 

“ _In the night, I hold you closely as you drift away_.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> The full lyrics for the lullaby are as follows: 
> 
> In the night I hold you closely as you drift away  
> Face and eyes are heavy as you lose the words to say  
> Every day you'll wake anew  
> Every day I fall for you  
> So, in the night I hold you close to me
> 
> There is also a melody, but I'm unsure of how to link that here. Just a sad little thought that I felt compelled to write/compose. 
> 
> Come yell at me on Twitter: @__moes__


End file.
